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Vishnu vows to follow PJR’s footsteps

EMOTIONAL MOMENT: Vishnuvardhan Reddy, son of P. Janardhan Reddy, garlanding the statue of his father at Yousufguda crossroads on Wednesday.

Statue of late leader unveiled at Yousufguda by his son

HYDERABAD: The unveiling of Congress leader P. Janardhan Reddy’s statue on Wednesday evening also served as an occasion for his son, P. Vishnuvardhan Reddy, to put up a show of strength. He is the party candidate for the forthcoming byelection to the Khairatabad Assembly constituency.

Amidst showers, the statue was unveiled by Mr. Vishunvardhan and Minister for Health and in charge for the constituency, V. Venkateswara Rao, at Yousufguda.

The deceased Congress MLA represented the constituency for more than two decades and his son is seeking to follow in his father’s footsteps.

In an emotional speech, Mr. Reddy vowed to follow his father’s ideals and be with the poor at all times.

Mr. Venkateswara Rao urged the party cadre to ensure the victory of Mr. Reddy. Invoking the name PJR, he said the great leader continues to remain the hearts and minds of people of the area.

With a pre-election meeting of nine municipal divisions also being planned on the day, former corporators and staunch followers of PJR pulled no stops to make it a colourful event. Rallies accompanied with music bands were taken out from different slums to the venue.

Open-top jeep

Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy along with the Minister came in an open-top jeep waving to crowds on the roadsides and from their balconies. All these lead to traffic being thrown out of gear on the busy stretch as it connects Ameerpet with Jubilee Hills and beyond. The traffic police had a tough time diverting vehicles.

Interestingly, some of the most prominent followers of his father maintained a low profile while several youth, all fresh faces, were seen around him. Posters and flags were dominated by PJR and his son’s images on the route while those of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy dwarfed in comparison.